Apparatus for mounting tile



Oct. 17, 1933. A. STAUDT APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING TILE Filed June 24, 1933 Mm am a 6.A a m A Patented Oct. 17, 1933 AP AR TU FOR. v'rouivfr INof-trim? j; p 7 August Staudt, PerthAmlioy; N113:

Application June 24, 1933. Serial-No, 671,37d1' i f 6 claims: (CL 41-1) 1: s

1 Thisvinvention is-an apparatus for mounting tile. It has long been the practice the mount:

ing of tile to ,assemble tiles of appropriateshape and colors in predetermined designs or relation upon sheets of paper through the use ofa suitable adhesive. The tiles; are secured in predeter mined relation with their finishedfaces incon tact with a pieceof paper of convenient size and in slightly spaced apart relation with respect to one another, .The paper with tiles attached are furnished in this condition to the tile-setter or mason who installs them the following mannen 1' r i ,w A suitable foundation or backing is provided atthe place of installation. Over this foundation is flowed or troweled alayer. of cement ormortar of appropriate thickness and consistency.. This is leveled off and thereupon the papers with tiles thereon are applied to the cement by laying the tiles back down in the cement and pressing them firmly in place.- A suflicient number of paper and tile assemblies arepositioned edge to edge in cement to cover the desired'spaceto be tiled, During the pressing of the tiles in 'placethe cert ment or mortar which is of appropriate thickness or consistency works up between the tiles and forms; a proper seating or bedlthe refora Afterthe cement has set,the, paper b moistened and scrubbed or scraped off leaving the finished faces ofthe tile in exposed position;

' Af thingrout is then flowed over. the tiles to iill;

the voids between them to produce a flush-fin v ishedsurface; The tiles are thereupon-washed and thoroughly cleaned to produce the' finished In order that the finished designs produced in the manner described may be obtained, there is used-in the assembling of the tiles fmounting boards. These mounting boards are made in -40 the form of v a substantially flat slab, the upper surface of which is provided with pockets to receive the tiles. I Under prior practicewhen it is desiredto make, for example, a two color design, this }is accomplished by first filling all,of the space of: the board with tiles of. the first color and is generally accomplished by dumping-tiles upon the board and shaking theboard until the tiles are seated in practically all of the spaces. The operator thereupon scrapes off excess tiles which have not seated in any vspace and laboriously picks out tileswfrorn the spaces -.appropriate to: the other color of the desired design. This pick; ing out of tiles is accomplished by hand,is a

5 laborious task and injuriousto the handsof the invention. -The structureis' extremely simple and' "5 Features of the invention;

conjunction with the. accomp'anyingfdrawing;

,opera E tw nr ar ied -.o rby=the ost skilled operators, there is the human. element 0 r anditi not, u comm o fi d t a 1 the more complicated patterns that improper tiles have been picked out-and that errors occur 59 in thev finished design. Nevertheless the prac tice ha ntop k se 'fi 'fl l i ma ual y nd er. t ha be n, ic e o tta qua ty o tiles of the other colo'r are deposited onpthe board d e oard s s k n lgth s a s 6 have, been previously manually emptied. After these spaces have; been filled sq that; all the: spaces in the board are now fi lled. 1 Excess tiles arenow scraped off-and the boardrnay' 'there upo b v n e the nex op at of ly ing the paper backing adhesively tothe tiles to prepare them for the -market. 1 i

T nJQrit -Q h wortki sirarr o b ni nr u ua lab w ch 7 61 s flles l em r and wh c g an q ber epended pr c u ate r u t -H; it With t e-i in Qns de t ensl mi e objectof tthe 'presentinvention is to provide"a simp e t-th i hsh sh v ween; a pa t s facilitating thejp fep arationtofboards for of difierent colors and. this inventionprovidesa thorough y; efi n wend IleQ n Pr iews 7 55111 .a ra us tlnsinvee i neml s ies s r egally speaking;an appropriateelectromaght, "a Y lu li qt ere r iith es eeofemcnl with t a nd-a arm rs e tree-e oi fi embers o p' ror efie M t as h re n t de d aed: uit b e mea 1 1! suppor i tnez e merin it 2 5 i #99 9 1 oi ooperative relationwith theelectromagnet. v

impor fea r rot, th pr s n n n ion ventional mounting boards.aas;g;heretofore} used withoutrequiring. any change in the structure of these boards and "without employment-oncomplicatedimechanism' 'in carrying out theipresent out" of its intended functions.

at thesa'rne time highly eflicient in "the carrying.

. n a. h ieiq's 'f d verted to, will beapparentfrom the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when rad i'n The accompanying drawing illustrate on tical embodiment or the Thivention butjthe conn; and mate a .9]

illustrative only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatusembodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a iragmental perspective view of a conventional mounting board.

' Figures 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views showing illustrative forms of filler pieces which I may employ according to this invention.

Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and are diagrammatic views showing different steps in the operation of the method.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates-a suitable table which, in practice may, if desired, be the conventional table generally foundin tile works and employed in the mounting, of tiles by:

' tion" 01 this element-is to operate as an electromagnet and it should be of such typethat it maybe electricallyenergized and when the curre'nt is shut oiT, it will rapidly de-energize and not retain appreciable residual magnetism. Electromagnetic elements '0! this kind are well known in the various arts and it is not considered necessary to show-thesamein detail. It-may be noted, however, that the electromagnetic element is included in a suitable energizing c-ircuit6 including therein a visual signal 7 and a controlling switch 8. The magnetic element may be mounted above the table in any suitablemanner, but for the purpose oi illustration, 1 have shown; the same as supported 'uporrarched brackets '9 which are so cured to said element'and bolted to the table l to rigid ymount the element 5 in position.

"This'invention contemplates relative movement between the supporting bed 2- and the magnetic element 5, so that they may be moved toward and away from one another tobring the f'aceof one substantially into engagement with the face of the other at the will of the operator. In practice, the bed-'maybestationary and the magnetic element movable, but for thepu-rpose of illustration, I:have chosen to show the magnetic ele ment stationary and the bed movable. 1 To permit of'this, the supporting bed 2 -isxprovided with a depending stemor'post 10 which is rigid with the bed and extends downwardly through a guide in thetable 1 so as toguide the bed for. up and down movement With the lower end ofthis'post or plunger I0 isia'ssociated appropriate means for raising-and lowering the bed. This meansmay partake ofvarious forms. without departing from this'inventiom but, for the. purpose of. illustrae tion, I have shown. the. post, 10 aspivoted to a lever 11; pivotally mounted, on a hanger 12-by meansof a-pivot 13 and the forward end of said lever is connected by a link 14 to. av treadle l5, projecting into. convenient position to be actu atedhthe foot of the operator. The weight of the bedsuch as to normally cause it. to be seated on top ,of.' the table 1,, but 'when'desired the operator may. apply foot. pressure "to the treadle'15 m the, pur ose of lifting'the'bed.

7 The normal position is the lowered'position shown in Figure 1. In carryingout this invenpi'e'ce of'Fi'gure 4' is hexagonal.

tion, I may use a conventional mounting board '16, a corner fragment of which is shown in Figure 2. This board is conventional and is of the type that has'long been used inthe ine dustry. It may be made of wood or metal, but is shown as'made of wood slab 16, the upper face of which is recessed or depressed at 1'7 and the said recess is divided by means of partitions 18 into a series of pockets adapted to hold'tiles in closely spaced apart relation. I make no claim to this. board for it is conventional and therein lies one of the important factors of 'thepresent invention because through this invention, I am able to use the old and well known board and do not require special boards for the purpose.

In carrying out this invention, I employ appropriate filler pieces which may vary in size and shape according to requirements. Three of these filler pieces are shown'in Figures 3, 4 and 5. The material employed must be, in part, material which wiil respond. tosma'gnetismand in part .0! material which will not respond-to magnetism. I find it desirable, although not necessary, to make the fillers of laminated form. For instance, the base part 1901 the filler 20 in Figure 3 is (ii-magnetic, preferably of aluminum, while the face 21 is oisoftiron. The reason for this is that the partitions 18' ofthe mounting board are generally of steel and itis essential that there be no actual contact between the magnetizedpart 210i the filler piece and these partitions. If the magnetic part 21 touches an iron or steel part of the board the fillers and board become one when the fillers are magnetized; as hereinafter more fullydescribe'd; If the mounting board is Wholly di-magnetiethen' wholly magnetic'fillersmay be used. 1 1 I wish it understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to the laminated ar-' rangement shown, but that the flller pieces may be wholly orpartly magnetically responsive withv in the purviewof this invention. The filler piece 20 of Figure3 is. shown as-s'quare, while the filler These fil'ler pieces may be of any appropriate shape'and'of a size to fit into compartment of the mounting.

board 16, or'for' setting uncertain patterns such as basket weave or the like, the filler pieces may be made larger-than one compartmentandmay be slitted at 22' as indicated, for example, in Fig ure 5, so as tostraddle thepartiti'onsjas maybe I do notj'w-ish to l imit the invention to the shape or sizes of these fillerpieces as they may be varied within wide limits depending uporithe desire required.

In carryingout this invention with'the apparatus as described, I proceed as-iollows; Having determined upon the 'pa-tternfto be produced, which we will assume; ior-thepurpose of illus tration, is a checkerboard patternof blue with one inch square tiles, the operator takesthe conventional mounting board and drops'intoevery alternate space in said board, a filler piece. which may be square, round, hexagonal or of any other suitables'hape with the magnetically're'spons'ive side of the filler piece up in the event that the filler pieces" are constructed of'laminat'ed form} If they are al1=-metal, either sideof the finer pieces may be up. Having assembledfin the. manner described, the filler pieces in every alternate spaeeof the board, which wil l'as'sume corresponds to-th'e spaces for-blue tiles, the oper ator deposits on the board in "the same rnanr iei asunder prior practice "a quantity of white-tiles and by shaking the board in the conventional way deposits white tilesirrthe spaces :not occupied byfthe fillers. Excesstiles 'are then scraped off and the board is'then picked up and placed on the bed 2 with two of its edges in engagement with the stops 3*and 4, as shown in -Figure 6'. 1 The operator thereupon applies "pressure "to the foot 'tr'eadle to raise the bedaand bring the 1 board into face abutting relation with the electro-'- magnetic'elements 5, as shown'in'Figure'U. r This having been dorieand while the board is held in this positio'n momentarily the sWitch Bis closed to turn on the current and energize the e1ectro magnet. Theswitch is left on and pressure on the 'treadle'ifs released allowing the'bed tone; scende- Asit descends the fillers will be left mag netically attachedto the electromagnet,- as shown in Figure 8, and the spaces occupied by the fillers in theboard 'will be vacant. The board isnow removed from the bed and blue tiles are shaken over the board and fill the spaces intended for the blue tiles in the design. The board is next passed to another operator who adhesively applies'the paper backing in the conventional way.

I The next board without tiles or fillers therein is I board. The bed is dropped, as shown in Figure- 10, the board isremoved and tiles are shaken into the vacant spaces, whereupon the operations described are repeated. v

It will be noted, therefore, that it is only necessary to set up the first board in order to get the proper pattern after which the pattern is duplicated automatically in the manner described. The most complex patterns can be set up inthe manner described and reproduced as stated with 1 a single set up;

It will of course be apparent to those skilled in this art that a number of boards may be initially set up so that a number of operatives may be employed at'the same time at difierent stages of. the process without any particular operator holding up another.

I also find that if desirable I may use dummy boards, i. e., boards with recesses or pockets only at those points where'filler pieces will be dei sired for any particular design and in this way, I

dispense with the manual set up at any time. In other words, such a dummy board for a two color checker board design would consist in a board the size of a mounting boardbut having in 1 its upper face alternating pockets with the intervening spaces filled in or blank. With such a board, it would only be necessary to shake filler pieces over the surface thereof and theywill automatically fall into place. Then set such 1 board on the bed, raise it itno contact with the electromagnet, energize the magnet to remove the fillers and drop the board. The board may then be laid aside for the next set up and successive conventional boards may be used with a set of filler pieces set up as stated.

' It will of course be understood that with slight modifications of filler pieces, a'wide variety of designs may be produced among the most common of which are, herringbone, basket weave,

' checker patterns, square or polygonal pattems' with lines or blocks of two color an. almost infinitenumber, i, "An important practical factor Offth present invention is that it.- materially speedslup proe duction" and whatis more important, itproduces absolute, uniformity in designs and eliminates mistake due to the hu'manflelementa in manual set ups for itwill .be: apparent that-.if the original set up -isa-"correct every. succeeding .set ,up

must be absolutely'wthesame: Furthermore, .it

has heretofore been the practice in'making an original :set upto place, in eachiboardtiles :of

one color, so thatthey; fill all of thespaces and thereupon operators laboriously pick outfromi the filled board the tilesfrom the spaces whichshould' contain the other color. operation must accurately accomplished and is *particulaLrlyina edges of the tiles are frequently-sharp and abrasive in character. The work must be done slowly any time. If desired, theflow of current to the 199 electromagnet may be controlled from the treadle so that the machine may be automatic and does not require the separate operation of turning on the current manually. and independently of operation of the, treadle.

I have particularly referred'to theinvention as adapted for the mounting of designs of difler-.

ent colors, but'it will be understood that-the invention may be carried out to mount tiles of different shapes or of different sizes and of the sameor diiferent colors. v I

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical form, but the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I .claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

' jurious to the finger tipssof 'theoperatorias the 1 1. In an apparatus for facilitating the mount- I ing of tiles, the combination of aboard supporting bed and an electromagnetic element mounted for relative movement to permit amounting board supported on said bedand having therein tile pocketsto be brought into or out of substan v tially facial engagement with respect to the electromagnetic element, means for producing such relative movement, electromagnetically reponsive filler elements adapted to be positioned within predetermined pockets of the board and adapted to be positioned through. such relative movemeans for energizing and de-energizing said 'elec-- ment in and out of magnetic relation -to the electromagnetic Y element, and current switching tromagnetic element as and when desired.

2. In anapparatus for facilitating themounting of tiles, an electromagnetic element mounted in substantially horizontal positionja bed juxtaposed with said element and mounted for move-v v ment toward and away from the same, a r'nounting board providedthereinwithpockets, magnetically responsive fillers removably positioned in predetermined pockets in accordance with the pre-arranged design, meansfor centralizing said board upon said bed, means for actuating the bed to lift the same to bring said fillers into proximity I with the electromagnetic element, an electric circult including a switch for energizing said electromagnetic means when desired; whereby the magnetic means may be energized togrip and I hold the fillers while the board is lowered wlthf the table and removed therefrom, and may also .beLde-ener'gizedto release the fillers. 'intothe for energizing and derenergizingrzsaidz electromag- V netic1means."'@'- V V 4. In an apparatus for facilitating. the mountof tiles, the combination of aimountingvboard suppont; meansfor facilitating the positioning oi successive mounting boards upon said board in identical relation thereto, electromagnetic means,

means for effecting relative movement Between said-support and: electromagnetic means to bring them into and out of relatively close facial m imity; means for energizing and de-energizing said electromagnetic means when desired, whereg by magnetically responsive elements may be removed from or replaceduin; thetile pockets. of mounting boards positioned in. successionoupon said support. r e

5,. A filler member-for use invtile mounting. an

para/nus; comprising a base portion of non-mag,-

netic material and a facial portion of magnetic material.

6. A filler member for usein tile paratus compi'isin g a magnetic portion and-a dimagnetic portion, said portions being secured together'tobehandled asaunit. A

AUGUST 's'rAUpT. Q 

